Winter Minestrone

Ina Garten is famous for her delicious recipes from more than a dozen cookbooks, as well as her TV show, the Barefoot Contessa. Her recipes are highly acclaimed for good reason: Ina loves butter and lots of it.

Thankfully, not all of Ina's recipes are steeped in butter fat. Whenever she publishes a recipe that's healthy, you can rest assured that it's the best of its kind, as with this fabulous Winter Minestrone. She adds cubed butternut squash along with the usual vegetables, which adds color and a delightful texture.

Of course, per her usual fat-loving habit, Ina flavors her soup with 5 ounces of pancetta (Italian bacon). While savory, it's also laden with fat so I reduced the amount to 2 ounces. If you're watching your weight you can leave it out altogether and sauté the vegetables in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. But if you can, use the pancetta. It's delicious. You can ask for pancetta at the supermarket deli meat counter.

Another Ina specialty: she flavors her soup with 2 Tbsp. of basil pesto, which many of us might not have on hand. If you don't have it, leave it out, or add in some fresh chopped basil. Your soup will be crave-worthy with or without. That's the thing about Ina's recipes: they're one-of-a-kind even when you improvise.

Olive oil spray

2 oz. pancetta, diced (optional but delicious)

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced celery

2 1/2 cups diced onion, about 1 large

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed

28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes

6 to 8 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 (15-oz. can) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup small pasta (ditali)

5 oz. baby spinach or baby kale

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp. basil pesto (optional)

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Lightly spray the bottom of a large Dutch oven with olive oil spray. Add diced pancetta and cook until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Next add all the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and thyme with a pinch of kosher salt. Add butternut squash, stir and cook 8 to 10 minutes.

Add 6 cups chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, 2 tsp. kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Partially cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Halfway through, bring a medium pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and add 1 cup of small pasta. Cook following package directions. Try to time it so that it is done when the soup is done simmering.

Once al dente, drain the pasta into a colander and add it to the soup along with the cannellini beans and cooked pancetta.

Add the baby spinach or kale, stir and cook until wilted. Lastly, pour in the dry white wine and add the basil pesto, if using. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 8

WW Points per serving with 2 oz. pancetta, 4

WW Points with no pancetta, 2